Newslinks for Friday 23rd June 2017

Brexit 1) May makes “serious offer” about EU nationals

“More than three million EU nationals living in the UK will be given the right to stay permanently after Brexit and treated like British citizens, Theresa May told European leaders last night. The Prime Minister made a “fair and serious offer” to European leaders in Brussels as she pledged that all those who arrived in Britain before she triggered Article 50 in March will be entitled to stay. Mrs May also said that she did not want to “break up families” in a clear indication that the spouses and children of EU nationals who live abroad will be eligible to join them in the UK.” – Daily Telegraph

Those arriving before Brexit will have chance to build up same rights as UK citizens – Guardian

They will have access to NHS, education, benefits, and pensions – Daily Express

Brexit 2) Hannan: One year on. I think the mood is “better” now

“A year ago today, Britain ignored the advice of its leaders and instructed them to withdraw from the EU. For once, the phrase “against all odds” is exactly correct. The bookies’ odds on June 23 translated into an 82 per cent probability of a Remain vote. It rained heavily that day. The mood was glum. Few ­outside the Vote Leave team saw what was coming.” – The Sun

Brexit 3) Cable “in secret talks” with Tories to “soften” exit…

“The frontrunner to be the next Liberal Democrat leader has admitted he is in secret talks with the Conservative MPs about frustrating Brexit. Sir Vince Cable said that he was holding informal negotiations with Tory MPs who backed Remain at the referendum about working together to soften the impact of leaving the European Union in 2019.” That came as the LibDems was expected an amendment to the Queen’s Speech to keep Britain in the single market and the customs union and require ministers to commit to spending £350million a week on the NHS after Brexit.” – Daily Telegraph

Comment:

May is serving a “colder and meaner” Brexit than I voted for – Fraser Nelson, Daily Telegraph

“The Scottish National party on Thursday demanded that London soften its Brexit plans amid rising concerns at Westminster that the Edinburgh parliament could disrupt vital legislation to facilitate the UK’s departure from the EU. Prime minister Theresa May said on Wednesday that a “repeal bill” — key Brexit legislation that will transpose EU law on to the UK statute book — could need the approval of the Scottish parliament.” – FT

Harris: The “constitutional ramifications” of the circumstances following the election

” … Even now, viewing the wreckage of the Conservative Party election campaign, it’s hard to deny [calling an election] was a reasonable political judgment to make at the time, particularly given the calamitous (for Labour) results of the local government elections in May. Nevertheless, although it’s difficult to imagine a worse outcome for the government (I can think of one), the Prime Minister, through her own actions, finds herself presiding over a unique and disastrous set of circumstances which, one way or the other, will have significant constitutional ramifications.” – Daily Telegraph

DUP “temporarily broke off strained talks” over money demand

“The Democratic Unionist Party broke off talks with Theresa May this week as it told her to spend £2billion in Northern Ireland if she wants the party to prop up her minority Conservative Government. The DUP demanded the cash – which works out as £1,100 per person in the Province – as talks veered dangerously close to breaking down altogether. The talks became so strained in the past few days that the DUP negotiators in Belfast refused to pick up the phone to the Prime Minister’s team for 36 hours, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.” – Daily Telegraph

For first time May is overtaken by Corbyn in a Prime Minister poll

“Jeremy Corbyn has overtaken Theresa May for the first time in a poll asking who would make the best prime minister. The YouGov survey for The Times found that 35 per cent of respondents thought the Labour leader would make the country’s best leader. Ms May was a point behind on 34 per cent, while 30 per cent said they were unsure.” – Independent

New Kensington MP gives “damning” maiden speech about Grenfell

“She was the last of the new MPs to win her seat and the first to be faced with a crisis. Emma Dent Coad, victorious in Kensington at the third recount by only 20 votes, represents a constituency that is deeply divided electorally and socially. She is MP for Harrods and Kensington Palace, but also for the Grenfell Tower. Given the events of the previous week her maiden speech was never going to be jolly, but you will be unlikely to hear one more powerful or more damning.” – The Times (£)

Building firm accused of providing “sub-standard panels” for other London blocks – Daily Telegraph

Tens of thousands of people could be living in combustibly-clad homes – Daily Telegraph

Gauke says triple-lock pensions are “unsustainable”

“The pension triple lock is no longer a sustainable policy, the new Work and Pensions Secretary has insisted. David Gauke said the mechanism would remain until 2020, but would then be “reflected” on. The Conservative manifesto pledged to abandon the triple lock on state pensions rises, which sees the state pension rise in line with either wages, inflation or earnings – whichever is highest. However, the flagship pledge was not mentioned in the Queen Speech after the Prime Minister failed to secure a majority in the Commons.” – Daily Telegraph

Conservative Party accused of breaking election laws over call centre

“The Conservative party allegedly operated a secret call centre during the election campaign that may have broken data protection and election laws, according to an investigation by Channel 4 News. An undercover investigation by the programme has found that the party used a market research firm to make thousands of cold calls to voters in marginal seats in the weeks before the election. Call centre employees working on behalf of the party used a script that appeared to canvass for support rather than conduct market research. ” – Guardian

Russian hackers “traded” cabinet ministers’ passwords online

“Passwords belonging to British cabinet ministers, ambassadors and senior police officers have been traded online by Russian hackers, an investigation by The Times has found. Email addresses and passwords used by Justine Greening, the education secretary, and Greg Clark, the business secretary, are among stolen credentials of tens of thousands of government officials that were sold or bartered on Russian-speaking hacking sites. They were later made freely available.” – The Times (£)

“Liberal Democrats are faced with electing a new leader after Tim Farron’s resignation last week. I have come to the conclusion that I will not be putting myself forward as a candidate for that vacancy. That might seem strange given the support and encouragement I have received from party members – indeed, from many people outside the Lib Dems.” – Guardian

Trump admits he doesn’t have Comey tapes

“Donald Trump has said he has no recordings of his controversial conversations with former FBI Director James Comey – but has left open the possibility that such an audio record may exist. The President ignited a furore when he had raised the prospect that there may be such recordings when he tweeted last month, in the aftermath of his firing of Mr Comey, while he was heading a probe into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.” – Independent

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